O'brien Address to MSPs Used to Insult Gays
Thu., December 23, 2004. 15:21.
Cardinal O'Brien misused Time for Reflection to insult the LGBT community.
MSPs urged to condemn remarks and stand up for LGBT community
MSPs are being called on to condemn a recent address to the Scottish Parliament by Cardinal Keith O'Brien that was used to "gratuitously insult" Scotland's gay community. (1)
Green MSP Patrick Harvie argues that O'Brien's decision to compare lesbian and gay people to criminals and to describe them as aberrations during yesterday's Time for Reflection was an insult to the Parliament and amounted to promoting intolerance and bigotry. According to a newspaper report today, the Catholic Church has confirmed that the phrase was a reference to homosexuals. (2)
The phrase drew a comparison between the imprisonment of convicted criminals at Saughton, and sexual minorities as "captives" to "sexual aberration". (3)
Harvie said, "Cardinal O'Brien's predecessor Cardinal Winning compared my community to the Nazis, so perhaps being compared to criminals is a step forward. But it is an insult to the Parliament that the Cardinal should choose to use Time for Reflection to be so needlessly offensive.
"Time for Reflection should remind us that we're here to serve all of Scotland, and all the people in Scotland. Equality is one of the founding principles of the Scottish Parliament, and when the Cardinal comes to visit he should respect that.
"Homosexuality was declassified by the medical profession as a disorder decades ago, but the Cardinal clings to that notion through prejudice alone. The Catholic Church took a long time to accept reality on issues like evolution, and the shape of the universe - clearly they are also dragging their feet on human diversity.
"Sexual diversity is a completely normal and natural thing, and its expression adds to the richness of our society and our culture."
ENDS
For further information call the Green MSP press office on 0131 348 6360/0771 761 8771.
1. Draft text of motion lodged in the Scottish Parliament:
That the Parliament condemns the use of the phrase "captives . . . to sexual aberration" to describe Scotland's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community; values Scotland's LGBT community and the contribution it makes to our society and our culture; deeply regrets that any speaker would chose to use the opportunity of Time for Reflection to make such a gratuitous insult to a section of the Scottish population; and hopes that the choice of speakers at Time for Reflection will grow to fully reflect the attitudes, values and beliefs which Scotland, as a modern society, encompasses.
2. A Catholic Church spokesperson is quoted on p6 of The Herald.
3. Cardinal O'Brien's statement to Parliament can be read here: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-04/sor1222-02.htm#Col13163
Contact the Scottish Greens' press team on 07909 933 074.